Manila - The Philippine military on Wednesday urged the country's largest Muslim separatist rebel group to help rescue an abducted Irish Catholic priest amid reports that the hostage has been turned over to a guerrilla commander. Major General Ben Dolorfino said the military was sending information on the reported whereabouts of Columban missionary Michael Sinnott and his kidnappers to the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
"The areas have heavy presence of the MILF, so our action now is to transmit information to the MILF, which has signified their willingness to help recover the priest," he said. "We are banking on that."
The 78-year-old priest was abducted Sunday by six unidentified gunmen from the mission's house in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province, 890 kilometres south of Manila.
Since then, military intelligence assets have spotted Sinnott and his kidnappers three times, authorities said.
Chief Superintendent Angelo Sunglao, a regional police commander, said the kidnappers on Monday turned over Sinnott to an MILF commander in Sultan Naga Dimaporo town in nearby Lanao del Norte province.
"The victim together with his abductors arrived in the village of Payong in Sultan Naga Dimaporo on Monday morning," he said. "The priest was turned over to Latip Jamat, the commander of the MILF's 4th Brigade."
Sunglao said Sinnott was now being held in an MILF camp in the boundary of the towns of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Nunungan and Picong.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the group's central leadership was still verifying the reports but assured authorities that the rebel group would help recover Sinnott.
"If it's true that Father Sinnott is already with Commander Latip, then we will turn him over to the proper authorities," he said.
Dolorfino said the military has increased the number of troops around the area where Sinnott and his kidnappers were holed up to restrict their movements.
He said a kidnapping-for-ransom group that has ties with various armed groups was behind the abduction. He added that the boat used by the abductors to escape was owned by a known pirate.
Sinnott, who underwent a quadruple heart bypass about three years ago, has been working in the strife-torn southern region of Mindanao since 1966. In 1998, he established a school in the area.
